Disciples of Tom
The Disciples of Tom are a religious group founded by the denizens of Vault 59, operating initally within the Seattle Expanse, though they have spread their teachings and organisation across Post-War America. They preach helping ones friends and neighbors while adhering to the wisdom and "greatness" of T.O.M. Founding After One-hundred and sixty years of near constant conditioning as a result of Vault-Tec's Project Safehouse, the Vault AI, which had taken on the duties of the late overseer, opened the door of Vault 59, allowing its followers out into the wastes of the Seattle Expanse. They found a world bereft of the wisdom of T.O.M., but also in need of aid. With his teachings in mind, the Vault Dwellers approached the nearby community of Metalburg, offering their medical and technical expertise to the struggling community in exchange for a foothold on the surface, a place to construct a church to T.O.M., etc. Despite their misgivings, and the seeming kookiness of the Vault Dwellers, the people of Metalburg welcomed them into the fold. Making use of the Vault technology they had maintained for nearly two centuries, the Disciples provided Metalburg with energy and a clean source of fresh water. After their church was completed, they began to preach the teachings of T.O.M. to the community, all the while aiding the settlement and generally being good neighbors. Most Metalburg settlers paid lip service to the cult, though a few genuinely converted. However any who actively spoke out against them, or ridiculed the idea of a major religion being based around anyone called "Tom", would find themselves "invited" to Vault 59. A week or so later they would return, themselves the newest Disciple ready to preach the teachings of T.O.M. Teachings of the Disciples While Vault-Tec's (And the Enclaves) original brainwashing was intended to simulate how people would react to various levels of conditioning of reverence to an individual (Say, perhaps, a President), after the death of the Overseer the Vault's AI slowly began to recondition the subjects, despite being unable to simply cease due to safeguards in its programming, in order to make them less hostile to those who rejected the original Tom or the AI, which assumed his name post death in order to better reign in the Vault Dwellers, ensuring they'd be willing to accept when someone doesn't possess the same beliefs as them. However, a fragment of hostility would always plague the Disciples, causing them to forcefully capture and convert anyone who actively spoke out against them or tried to disrupt them by bringing them to Vault 59 and subjecting them to the same brainwashing they had known for generations. In any case, when not hostile towards a party or individual, the Disciples preach compassion to Wastelanders, insisting that they should always stand beside their friends and neighbours, while adhering to a reverence of T.O.M. They say people should aid others willingly without expecting a reward, putting the community ahead of oneself. However, the Disciples also teach being ready to punish those who disrupt the community or bring harm to others, outside self or communal defense, either through institutional law or lethal force. This makes them almost Neo-Mormonistic in their behaviours, adapted to the harshness of post-war America almost to perfection. The Grand Expedition In 2263, following a unanimous decision amongst its leading body, the Disciples undertook their most daring effort yet; the spread the Word of Tom across the wastes of America. In the years 2266 and 2278, two different expeditions were undertaken with the goal of spreading the Disciples teaching eastwards. The first expedition made it to Wisconsin before stopping and establishing a permanent monastery near the outskirts of Madison. They came into contact with the nascent group known as the Northern Reclamation Army, who though initially dismissive of the Disciples came to value them as friends and allies due to their knowledge of pre-war engineering, agriculture and medicine. The Second expedition, setting out in 2278, managed to geographically out-achieve its predecessor by managing to reach America's Eastern coast, even though this fear could only be achieved due to the previous expedition. However, while the first expedition was able to establish a new the second wasn't as lucky. While the East Coast Brotherhoods victory over the Enclave managed to secure stability for the Capital Wasteland, and several of its surrounds it, the Brotherhoods later actions leading up to 2287 would cause many otherwise peaceful groups to take increasingly militaristic, or outright zealous, stances; such as the Children of Atom. This would eventually bring the Children and Disciples to come to blows with one another and for the Disciples East Coast mission to reform into the Crusade of Tom, in turn fighting the Children, among other groups, in the conflict known as the Atom-Tom War. Relations NCR The Disciples enjoy friendly relations with the settlers from the NCR. However upon hearing of how the disciples were founded, elements of the NCR Seattle Expedition have made attempts to "cure" the Disciples, most notably members of the Followers of the Apocalypse. The Inner Circle The Disciples, among other factions, have enjoyed the protection of the Inner Circle. With their pre-war knowledge of engineering, medicine and science still intact, the Inner Circle considers the Disciples of Tom an irreplaceable asset for the Seattle Expanse. Winters Enclave The Disciples of Tom, along with their home of Vault 59 and the nearby town of Metalburg, are on a list of important settlements/groups in the Seattle Expanse and thus recognised as a vital group for the coming battle with The Inner Circle and NCR. Northern Reclamation Army The Disciples Midwest Mission and the NRA enjoy a prosperous alliance with one another, many of the NRA's soldiers even becoming followers of the Disciples teachings in the process though not through brainwashing. The NRA grants protection to the Midwest mission, which in turn provides technical and medical assistance to the NRA. Children of Atom The Children of Atom and the Disciples of Tom are actively at war with one another, fighting over their respective factions teachings. The Disciples, thanks to their access to pre-war medical knowledge, know that Radiation is harmful to the human body and use this as the basis of their argument to refute the existence, and therefore teachings, of Atom. The Children, in turn, ridicule the existence of an almighty figure named "Tom" while citing the devastation of Nuclear War and the existence of non-feral Ghouls who have existed since the Great War as prove of Atoms existence. The Crusade of Tom is the primary representative for the Disciples in the resulting conflict. Gallery